Monarchs fall to Penguins in shootout

Manchester Monarchs players including Andy Andreoff (12), Brandon Kozun (15), and Nick Deslauriers (4), celebrate Kozun's goal as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goalie Jeff Zatkoff looks away during the first period of their AHL game played at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester Sunday. (Mark Bolton/Union Leader)

Riley Holzapfel and Trevor Smith each scored a shootout goal as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins posted a 5-4 American Hockey League comeback victory over the Manchester Monarchs at Verizon Wireless Arena Sunday.

The Monarchs failed to hold a 3-0 lead they established behind a first-period power-play goal by Brandon Kozun (his 22nd) and two shorthanded goals by Stefan Legein (fifth, first period) and Robert Czarnik (fourth, second period).

Manchester appeared to have regained control of the game when Andy Andreoff scored his ninth goal of the season at 5:28 of the third period.

But Wilkes-Barre/Scanton stormed back, getting a goal at 10:03 from Zach Sill (fourth) and the tying goal from Dylan Reese (fifth) with 4:10 left in regulation.

In the shootout, Jordan Weal, Andreoff, Kozun and Colton Yellow Horn of Manchester failed to score on their chances. Manchester was 1-for-3 on the power play and the Penguins were 0-for-4.

Former Manchester goalie Jeff Zatkoff, now with the Penguins, logged 64:29 and stopped 24 of 28 shots in the win. Manchester netminder Martin Jones turned back 30 of 34 shot attempts.

Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings recalled right wing Tyler Toffoli from the Monarchs. The 20-year-old Toffoli played in 55 regular-season games with the Monarchs, recording 28 goals and 20 assists. He had a team-leading plus-20 rating.

His 28 goals lead the Monarchs and all AHL rookie skaters. His goal total also ranks second overall in the league and his 48 points are tied for first in the AHL among rookie skaters,

Toffoli was originally selected by the Kings in the second-round (47th overall) of the 2010 NHL entry draft. He has not played in the NHL.

The Monarchs (28-24-3-4 with 63 points) are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the eighth-place teams, Connecticut and Hershey. The Monarchs are back in action on Friday at 7 p.m. when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Verizon Wireless Arena.